Exploring Place and Memory Across Generations: A Transgenerational Walking Interview Method

In this study, we investigate methodological possibilities of a combined method, transgenerational walking interviews (“TWIs”) in the context of architectural memory and meaning of place. This exploratory approach aims to determine an adapted protocol as well as to identify the possibilities and limitations of using this methodology and the type of data that can be collected. Walking interviews are considered a well-used method in environmental and place-related studies to gather experiential data related to a particular place, whereas intergenerational interviews are used to reveal the diverse points of view, experiences, and memories of different generations, as well as their interrelations. We combine two methods by conducting TWIs with a senior and their younger acquaintance at a site significant to the elder, followed by separate post-evaluation interviews to gather insights from both participants. Two tests of this original approach were conducted in Wallonia, Belgium, and are discussed as cases throughout the study. Both TWIs unfold at the seniors’ former workplaces: the first one at a still-active small-scale secondary school, and the second one at a former industrial site now being dismantled and turned into a landmark. In our analysis, we focus on investigating the experience of these TWIs for each participant, researchers included. We question the effects of those TWIs on the understanding of the place and the evolution of the relationship between the participants and the place. This research not only enables us to gather place-related experiences and memories for different generations but also offers a valuable methodology applicable to community research and community researchers.